Archives for March 2014

Gluten Free Green Bean French Fries

March 30, 2020 · by Meg · 1 Comment

This week I definitely had a pregnancy moment at the grocery store. I subconsciously decided that I wanted two huge bags of string beans instead of one? I didn’t realize this until I got to the check out line! I just took both and figured I would find something to do with them. I sat down and began to brainstorm… as I was sitting last night eating dinner with my family, and french fries popped into my brain. Perfect! Green bean french fries (gluten & dairy free, of course)! A healthy twist on an unhealthy favorite! I made a whole bag of them and had a hard time containing myself from eating every single one before I even took a picture. I hope you enjoy them as much as me (and that little baby growing inside me) did!

Gluten Free Green Bean French Fries

15 minutes

30 minutes

Yield: 1 pound breaded string beans

1/4 cup string beans

Calories per serving: 160

Ingredients

1 pound washed (and ends trimmed) string beans
1 cup almond flour
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon parsley
1-2 eggs (depending on if you need them for dipping)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees
Wash and trim string beans
Place eggs in one bowl, and the rest of the ingredients in another bowl
(both of your bowls are for dipping, in the eggs first, then in the flour mixture)
Place a piece of parchment paper down on a cookie sheet and grease with some coconut oil
Begin by adding string beans to the egg mixture (I did 5 or so at a time) then dipping them into the flour mixture
Place 'breaded' string beans on the parchment paper
Bake in the oven for 30 minutes (15 minutes on each side)
Enjoy!

http://veggiestaples.com/glutenfreegreenbeanfrenchfries/

3 Ingredient Chocolate Banana Dessert

March 24, 2020 · by Meg · 4 Comments

I don’t know about you, but I love those Banana Babies ice cream bars that you can get in the frozen section at the grocery store. They aren’t too bad for you (the ingredients list is actually natural!) but toppings are limited. Bananas are a natural antacid, are said to help with depression, muscle cramps, constipation, the list goes on and on. And besides, fruit is nature’s candy, yum!

It’s super easy to throw these banana delights together and the best part is you can choose whatever toppings you want. Maybe you love hemp seeds, or graham crackers (gluten free, of course) or just almonds (like me)! Either way, I’m going to guarantee you will love them - and so will your kids and anyone else you make them for (just ask my co-workers)! Best of all they are vegan, gluten free and paleo!

3 Ingredient Chocolate Banana Dessert

1 frozen banana

Calories per serving: 150 calories

Ingredients

1 banana
1/2 cup Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips (soy, nut & dairy free)
1/4 cup chopped almond (or anything else you might want to roll your banana in)!

Instructions

Smash or chop desired topping for the banana (I put my almonds in the food processor)
Heat chocolate chips on low/medium heat in a large saucepan and stir well so they do not burn.
Peel banana and dip one side into the melted chocolate, then flipping to cover the other side (tongs may work well here, but I just used my fingers)
Immediately roll the banana in toppings while the chocolate is still warm
Place the banana(s) on parchment paper or a plate and freeze for 15-20 minutes or until you are ready to eat them!

http://veggiestaples.com/3-ingredient-chocolate-banana-dessert/

Blueberry Oat Bars

March 17, 2020 · by Meg · 1 Comment

I have a thing for blueberries (see my blueberry scone recipe here) and even though it’s winter, I really felt like maybe if I made something summery, then maybe the warmer weather would come more quickly? I also had a serious craving for some granola bars, and thinking I could marry the two, here are these gluten free and vegan scrumptious blueberry bars. Not too sweet and just crumbly enough. Yummy! These would also be awesome with raspberries, blackberries, peaches, or even a combination of any of those fruits!

Blueberry Oat Bars

Yield: 12 bars

1 bar

Calories per serving: 144

Ingredients

2 cups fresh blueberries
1/2 cup honey or maple syrup, divided
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon flax seed + 3 tablespoons water (thickener for the blueberry filling)
3 cups gluten free oats
2 tablespoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup apples, washed, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup raw walnuts, chopped (optional)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Add chopped apple to a sauce pan with 1/4 cup honey or maple syrup and one tablespoon cinnamon, heat over low heat
Mix flax seed + 3 tablespoons of water and set aside to allow to thicken
Once thickened, add flax seed mixture to sauce pan and stir into apples.
Leave apples on heat until soft.
Remove apple mixture from heat and pulse with a food processor and set aside
Pulse 1 1/2 cups of oats in the food processor
Mash blueberries and 1/4 cup remaining honey or maple syrup together in a bowl and set aside
Mix all oats (ground and unground) with pulsed apples, 1 tablespoon cinnamon, baking powder, and vanilla extract together
Press 1/2 oat mixture into the bottom of a greased pan (I used coconut oil but you could also use parchment paper)
Pour blueberry mixture over oats and use a knife or spoon to spread out, covering the oats.
Place the rest of oat mixture (can be crumbly because you will not be pressing it into anything) over blueberries, spread walnuts on top if desired
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the top of the bars start to become brown

Fiber: 3g Sugar 15g

http://veggiestaples.com/blueberry-oat-bars/

Cinnamon Banana Bread

March 13, 2020 · by Meg · Leave a Comment

There are few breads I meet that I don’t like! When I was home last week on vacation I got around to making a few and this one came out the best. Delicious and fluffy banana bread, with a crunchy cinnamon topping! Is there a bread you love to make? Pumpkin, zucchini, chocolate? The perfect way to use up those overripe, brown bananas, regardless! I don’t think anyone can resist a slice of warm, out of the oven homemade bread, do you? Yum!

Serves 8

Ingredients:

for the bread:

2 ripe bananas
6 eggs
1/3 cup non dairy milk (I used unsweetened coconut)
1/4 cup honey
3/4 cup coconut flour
1/4 cup almond flour
1 tablespoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking soda

for the crumble topping:

3 tablespoons walnuts
2 tablespoons coconut flour
2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted, plus more for greasing
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon cinnamon

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (grease standard loaf pan with coconut oil).

2. Add all bread ingredients to food processor and pulse until smooth.

3. Pour batter into the loaf pan.

4. In a small bowl, combine crumble ingredients and disperse evenly on the top of the batter.

5. Place the bread in the oven for 50-60 minutes (or until a fork comes clean). Allow to cool before serving!

Nutritional Information: Calories: 312 Fiber: 8g Sugar: 15g

gluten free, paleo

Pumpkin Ginger Muffins

March 13, 2020 · by Meg · 5 Comments

Sometimes you just really want a muffin! And for some reason I just had a craving for pumpkin and ginger. Call me crazy, but it’s probably being so couped up from all of the snow - we can barely see our mailbox right now! Where is Spring?!!

Either way, I’ve been getting my baking on, and whipped up a batch of these. You can’t go wrong with ginger, it’s so good for you. Anti - inflammatory and great for your immune system!

Makes 9 muffins

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup almond flour
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 eggs
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons fresh grated ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg (or pumpkin pie spice)
optional: nuts (I added one pecan on top of each muffin)

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Mix all ingredients together - easy peasy. Combine until batter is smooth.

3. Add batter to muffin cups (lined with muffin cups or greased with coconut oil). Fill 3/4 full. (add pecan on top if desired)

4. Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

5. If you can wait long enough, let them cool off! Yummmmm!

Nutritional Information: Calories: 167 Fiber: 3g Sugar: 9g

St Patricks Day Paleo Cupcakes

March 10, 2020 · by Meg · 5 Comments

Do you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day? I come from an area of the country (hello, Boston!) where celebrating St. Patrick’s Day is almost as big as Christmas. People get really into it around here! I thought I’d make some green cupcakes to celebrate! These cupcakes, despite the green frosting (which is natural, no food coloring!) are super yummy. note: I researched a lot of ways for natural food coloring - although I went with avocado, there are many different ways to dye your frostings naturally!

St Patricks Day Paleo Cupcakes

Yield: 6 cupcakes

1 cupcakes

Ingredients

for the cupcakes (makes 6 cupcakes):

1/2 cup coconut flour
4 eggs
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup non dairy yogurt (I used so delicious, greek yogurt)
3 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
1/4 cup raw honey, softened
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

for the icing:

1/2 ripe avocado
1/2 cup cashews (soaked for at least 30 minutes)
3 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
2 tablespoons raw honey, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or more, to taste)

Instructions

for the cupcakes

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Place all cupcake ingredients in a food processor or blender and buzz until smooth
Line cupcake pan with cupcake liners or grease with coconut oil
Distribute batter equally among each cupcake liner
Place in oven for 20 minutes (or until a cake tester/knife comes out clean

for the icing:

Remove half avocado from shell and add to blender or food processor
Remove cashews from water and add to food processor
Add remaining icing ingredients and buzz together in the food processor.
Once the icing is smooth, use a piping tool or knife to spread the icing onto the top of the cupcake

http://veggiestaples.com/st-patricks-day-paleo-cupcakes/